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India Bowled Out for 185 as Pant's Careful Knock Isn't Enough
India Bowled Out for 185 as Pant's Careful Knock Isn't Enough
India lost Virat Kohli - once again nicking behind - in the middle session.
In a busy start, India reached 107/4 at Tea on the first day in Sydney. Right from the beginning, there were doubts about India when Jasprit Bumrah, instead of Rohit Sharma, came out for the toss. Bumrah, who had captained India in Perth, explained that Rohit had "chosen to rest" for this match and then won the toss in cloudy weather on a green pitch.
His choice to bat first raised more challenges for the Indian players. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, who stepped up to bat at the top in Rohit's absence, played carefully as the conditions required, staying solid in defence and focused on balls outside off stump at the start.
Even though things weren't going well, Rahul hit a leg-stump half-volley from Mitchell Starc right into the hands of a fielder at square leg, putting India in a tough spot. Jaiswal tried to tackle Scott Boland's tight bowling by moving toward him but ended up edging one to debutant Beau Webster in the slip.
Boland almost got another wicket when Virat Kohli, facing the first ball, edged it to Steve Smith, who managed to get his fingers under it and pushed it to Webster. However, replays suggested the ball might have touched the ground while Smith was trying to catch it. Third umpire Joel Wilson decided in favour of Kohli.
With that bit of good fortune, the struggling senior batter moved on with the same discipline he had shown in the first innings at Melbourne. Pat Cummins rotated his four main pace bowlers in short spells, and each one made it hard for both Kohli and Shubman Gill, who returned to his No. 3 position, to score runs.
Gill had a couple of close calls, narrowly avoiding the stumps with an inside edge and seeing another ball fly over the fielders. However, like Kohli, he focused on reducing mistakes during their 40-run partnership, which took 106 balls. Just before Lunch, he stepped down to Nathan Lyon and ended up edging the ball to slip, which set India back further.
Kohli's time at the crease didn't last long either, as he poked at a ball outside off stump and got caught in the slips for the seventh time in the series. Boland, who bowled consistently, could have dismissed Ravindra Jadeja early too, but Smith dropped the catch.
At the other end, Rishabh Pant played more defensively than usual, taking hits to his body but avoiding risky shots during his fighting innings. Since the Australian bowlers weren't giving away easy runs, Pant had to work hard for his boundaries. He moved down the pitch to hit Webster for a six and managed another boundary off a short delivery from Lyon just before Tea. He ended up scoring 32 off 80 balls in a tough innings.
India's cautious batting style did not work as they were bowled out for 185 after choosing to bat first on a green pitch in Sydney. Scott Boland was the standout bowler for Australia, taking 4 wickets for 31 runs, thanks to his accurate bowling and the help of the seam movement from the pitch.
India had a brief moment of success when Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Usman Khawaja. Khawaja nicked the ball behind after a discussion with non-striker Sam Konstas, marking the sixth time he had fallen this way in the series. This wicket gave India a small lift on an otherwise tough day at the crease.
Right from the beginning, India faced challenges when Bumrah took the toss instead of Rohit Sharma. Bumrah explained that Rohit had "chosen to rest" for this game and put his batters under pressure. KL Rahul, batting at the top in Rohit's absence, started carefully alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, being cautious and defending well, especially against deliveries outside off stump.
However, against the flow of the game, Rahul hit a half-volley from Mitchell Starc directly to a fielder at square leg, putting India in a tough spot. Jaiswal tried to take on Scott Boland’s accurate bowling by advancing towards him, but he ended up nicking the ball into the hands of debutant Beau Webster in slips.
Boland almost got another wicket when Virat Kohli faced his first ball and edged it towards Steve Smith, who managed to get his fingers under the ball and push it to Webster. However, replays suggested the ball might have touched the ground as Smith tried to catch it. The third umpire, Joel Wilson, decided it was not out for Kohli.
India’s struggles with the bat continued as the senior batter, despite his shaky form, showed the same discipline he had in the first innings at Melbourne. Pat Cummins rotated his four main fast bowlers in short bursts, each testing the batters and making it hard for Kohli and Shubman Gill to score freely. Gill, returning to his No. 3 spot, had some nervous moments – an inside edge narrowly missed the stumps, and an outside edge flew over the slip fielders. However, both Gill and Kohli focused on avoiding unnecessary mistakes during their 40-run partnership, which lasted 106 balls.
Just before Lunch, Gill tried to step out and hit Nathan Lyon but ended up edging the ball to slip, pushing India into deeper trouble. Kohli didn’t last much longer, as he was caught in the slips again – his seventh time in the series. Boland almost got Ravindra Jadeja early too, but Smith dropped the catch.
Rishabh Pant, playing more carefully than usual, took a few hits on his body but avoided risky shots. With the Australian bowlers not giving away easy runs, Pant created his scoring chances, stepping out to hit Webster for a six down the ground. A boundary off Lyon just before Tea was one of the few bright spots in his gritty innings, which ended when he mistimed a pull shot off Boland to midwicket.
Pant’s dismissal triggered a collapse. Nitish Reddy was caught in the slips on his first ball, and Jadeja, after grinding to 26 from 95 balls, missed a straight one from Starc and was trapped lbw. Washington Sundar hit a few boundaries but was given out for gloving a pull shot after Australia reviewed. The tailenders tried to resist, with Bumrah swinging his bat for 22, but he was the last man out.
India was bowled out in under 80 overs once again, marking the seventh time in their last eight Tests that they had failed to last longer in the first innings.
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